How To Grow Grapes At Home? Gardener Shares 10 Tips to Grows The Fruits In Containers

Grapes are one of the most commonly consumed fruits in any Indian household. However, it is not hidden that grapes are heavily contaminated with pesticides, and consuming such fruits can lead to various health issues — including potential harm to the nervous system, disruption of hormone function, and an increased risk of cancer.

But what if you can grow these juicy delights easily at home in containers?

Delhi-based urban gardener Rashmi Shukla has been growing grapes on the rooftop of her house for the last seven years.

She says growing grapevines in a grow bag and container is not very cumbersome and can be done with little care. And as a bonus, your garden will be frequented by a lot of birds!

According to Rashmi, grapes can be grown through seeds as well as cuttings but gardeners should opt for a sapling. “It will substantially reduce the time taken for the plant to bear fruits. If you use seeds, it may take many years before fruiting while a sapling can fruit in three years if properly nurtured,” she adds.

Rashmi shares 10 things to keep in mind while growing grapes in containers.

1. Make sure the sapling brought from the nursery is healthy.
2. The rainy season is the best time to grow grapes.
3. Keep the plant in a small pot and keep repotting it as the plant grows. After about two years, it can be planted in a 24-inch size grow bag or pot.
4. To prepare the potting mix, mix 50 percent soil with 30 percent compost and 20 percent sand.
5. Keep the plant in a good sunny place as the grapevines will need six to seven hours of sunlight to bear fruit.
6. Keep watering it every day.
7. Keep adding good potassium and boron fertiliser to it every month.
8. During winter, all the leaves of the tree will fall from its vine. Put those leaves in the pot so that they turn into compost.
9. The vines will start growing after six months. Let them grow upwards with the support of a wire. Leave the main stem below so that more vines can form at the top.
10. When the clusters of fruit start appearing on the vine, wrap it with a handkerchief so that the fruits are not damaged by birds.

Edited by Padmashree Pande. Photo credit: Rashmi Shukla (Instagram)